“She’s hurt and traumatized. It might take a long time before she accepts us. We have to be patient with her. She might even need some psychological help. Someone to talk about the abuse with.”

Keir laughed. “You mean, someone else who isn’t going to growl and blow fire every time he hears something new?”

“That.”

I held up my finger, signaling him to be quiet. Iris’ soft footsteps padded out of her room and halted before she descended the stairs.

Once her feet hit the bottom step, I called out, “Iris, we’re in the kitchen.”

Her raspberry-and-cinnamon scent hit me only moments before she stepped in, wearing the cutest silky pink pajama set. Her hair was braided over her shoulder, and she’d washed off the little makeup she wore when we picked her up. A bit of the bottom of her belly showed where the pajama top hem ended.

Gods, our mate was a gorgeous woman.

“Is everything okay?” Keir stood, almost knocking his barstool over.

“I couldn’t sleep despite being so tired. It’s very quiet here.”

We lived away from town and even farther from the city. She must’ve been used to the noises at night.

“How can we help you?”

I wanted to cuddle up with her. Let our scent and our touch keep her safe, but the request had to come from her. She had been through years of being told what to do and every move being monitored.

“I…” She blushed, and I wondered what thoughts danced around in that gorgeous head of hers. “Would it be too forward to ask you both to sleep next to me? I need to feel safe.”

Keir answered first, “It would be our honor, female. We’ll go up and get ready and be there in about ten minutes. Would that be okay?”

She moved her feet together, one over the other. Her scent gave away her unease. I had an idea. “Come with me to my room while I change and brush my teeth. Be near me.”

“That sounds good, Nix. Thank you.”

While I changed into some pajama pants, sans a shirt so she could touch as much of my skin as possible, I felt her eyes on me. Gods, I wanted her hands all over me, but sleeping together would be a good start. I brushed my teeth, and several times our eyes met in the mirror.

I turned, not able to contain myself. “Like what you see, Iris?”

Another blush filled her cheeks. “Yes. I won’t ask you the same. I’m getting bigger by the minute.”

Time to put an end to all that. I marched over to her and put my hands on her waist. Her belly pressed against mine. It was part of her and all of it gorgeous. “Look at me, female,” I whispered. Her brown eyes slid from where they had been on my mouth and met mine. “You are a beautiful woman. The first time I saw your picture, my dragon growled inside me, he was so stricken by it.”

She shrugged one shoulder.

“You think I’m lying?” I asked.

“No.”

I leaned forward and kissed her cheek. “Let’s get you two upstairs so we all can share some rest.”

Chapter Fourteen

Iris

The babe in my stomach rolled around, rousing me from sleep. I raised my hands above my head and stretched, realizing where I was. No alarm had woken me. No sounds from the street below or Bessie opening up downstairs.

Oh yeah.

I was in Phoenix and Keir’s home.

The two dragons who had saved me.